Wem Foundation
Wem Foundation is a private foundation based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Its 2023 filing is marked as a final return, so it appears to have wound down or stopped grantmaking.
Wem Foundation at a glance
In short: Wem Foundation gave $359.5M across 135 grants in 2023 (avg $2.7M), mostly in Minnesota. 28% of 2023 grantees were new. Source: 2023 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2023)
- $359,470,304
- +76.3% vs 2022
- Grants made (2023)
- 135
- -2.2% vs 2022
- Average grant
- $2,662,743
- +80.2% vs 2022
- Median grant
- $550,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 28% first-time grantees (37 of 132, 2023)
- Primary geography
- Minnesota (59% of itemized 2023 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2023 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2023; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Wem Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 5628, Minneapolis, MN 55440-5828
Phone: (952) 674-2800
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Wem Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2023
The largest 2023 recipient was Smithsonian Institution ($75.2M). Together the top 10 received $192.5M.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($900,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
539 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 211 grants of 539 (39%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The filing states that the WCA Foundation serves the seven-county an individual recipient metro area. In 2023, grant dollars were reported as 59% to Minnesota, 21% to Washington, D.C., 13% to Florida, 4% to Maine, and 2% to an unspecified state designation (“?”).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2023 grant dollars across all 135 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Wem Foundation open to new grantees?
28%
first-time grantees, 2023
In 2023, 37 of 132 grantees (28%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $1.3M; repeat grants $3.3M. How we count
Medians: $500K first-time, $800K repeat.
- 66% of 2023 grantees were also funded in 2022. Method
- Giving grew 1162% from 2020 to 2023. Method
- In 2023 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2023). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2023, annual grant giving ranged from $18.4M (2021) to $359.5M (2023). In 2023 it made 135 grants totaling $359.5M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Smithsonian Institution Washington, DC | General | $75,165,000 |
| Minneapolis Institute of Art Minneapolis, MN | General | $25,050,000 |
| The Learning Alliance Vero Beach, FL | General | $20,000,000 |
| Williams College Williamstown, ME | General | $15,000,000 |
| Riverside Theatre Vero Beach, FL | General | $10,050,000 |
| Vero Beach Museum of Art Vero Beach, FL | General | $10,030,000 |
| Abbott Northwestern Hospital Foundation Minneapolis, MN | General | $10,000,000 |
| Minneapolis Parks Foundation Minneapolis, MN | General | $10,000,000 |
| Guthrie Theater Minneapolis, MN | General | $8,225,000 |
| Project Success Minneapolis, MN | General | $7,100,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | — | $5,943,855 | $360,170,209 | $359,470,304 | 135 | $360,016,374 | $5,874,993 | $7,766,729 |
| 2022 | $354,226,812 | $446,057,255 | $213,317,249 | $203,945,900 | 138 | $204,380,117 | $443,318,775 | $19,075,879 |
| 2021 | $121,487,044 | $26,370,141 | $20,202,277 | $18,435,006 | 130 | $18,828,437 | $18,830,084 | $25,534,854 |
| 2020 | $115,970,437 | $61,260,388 | $29,888,525 | $28,478,518 | 136 | — | $50,100,076 | $19,264,071 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Wem Foundation reported a distributable amount of $7.8M for 2023 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The mission statement on the filing describes the WCA Foundation’s grantmaking as supporting women’s fundamental needs through nonprofit human service agencies and programs. The filing’s 2023 grants also went to organizations with a range of missions. For example, the Smithsonian Institution says its mission is to increase and diffuse knowledge; The Learning Alliance says it works to improve student literacy; and the Minneapolis Parks Foundation says it transforms lives through parks and public spaces.
Other 2023 recipients describe work in theatre and arts education, hospital support, youth development, and efforts to end multigenerational poverty in North Minneapolis. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not stated missions of Wem Foundation.
Grantmaking
In 2023, the foundation reported 135 grants totaling $359,470,304. Grants ranged from $100 to $75,165,000, with a median grant of $550,000. The filing lists the largest grants as general-purpose grants. Among them were $75,165,000 to the Smithsonian Institution, $25,050,000 to the Minneapolis Institute of Art, $20,000,000 to The Learning Alliance, $15,000,000 to Williams College, and $10,050,000 to Riverside Theatre. Other large recipients included the Vero Beach Museum of Art Foundation ($10,030,000), Abbott Northwestern Hospital Foundation ($10,000,000), and Minneapolis Parks Foundation ($10,000,000).
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2023 filing lists Elizabeth S. MacMillan as Director/Vice Chair/Secretary, Harriet S. Norgren as Director, and James Hield as Director/President.
Wem Foundation is led by James Hield, Director & President on every filing since 2020; 2 of 3 officers listed in 2023 are compensated.
Officers on the 2023 filing
James Hield
Director & President
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$215K (2020) → $390K (2023)
Harriet S. Norgren
Director
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
$5K (2020) → $5K (2023)
Elizabeth S. Macmillan
Director, Vice Chair & Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Whitney Macmillan (2020) — Director, Chair & Treasurer
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2023. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2023 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2023 filing was $390K, to James Hield (Director/President). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Wem Foundation
How much does Wem Foundation give each year?
Wem Foundation gave $359.5M across 135 grants in 2023, according to its 2023 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2022 it gave $203.9M across 138 grants.
What is Wem Foundation's typical grant size?
Wem Foundation's median grant in 2023 was $550,000, and its average grant was $2,662,743, across 135 grants on its 2023 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Wem Foundation that year got $1.3M on average.
Where does Wem Foundation give grants?
Wem Foundation gives mostly in Minnesota: 59% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2023 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were District of Columbia (21%) and Florida (13%). The most frequent recipient cities were Minneapolis, MN (51 grants), St. Paul, MN (19 grants), Vero Beach, FL (10 grants) and Minnetonka, MN (4 grants).
Does Wem Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Wem Foundation's 2023 grants with a stated purpose (135 of 135) were for general or operating support, per its 2023 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Wem Foundation's largest grantees?
Wem Foundation's largest 2023 grantees include Smithsonian Institution ($75,165,000), Minneapolis Institute of Art ($25,050,000) and The Learning Alliance ($20,000,000), according to its 2023 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($900,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 33% of its itemized 2023 grant dollars.
What does Wem Foundation fund?
The mission statement on the filing describes the WCA Foundation’s grantmaking as supporting women’s fundamental needs through nonprofit human service agencies and programs. The filing’s 2023 grants also went to organizations with a range of missions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Wem Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
How much is Wem Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2023, Wem Foundation reported a distributable amount of $7.8M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Wem Foundation's EIN?
Wem Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 41-1604640. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2023.
Does Wem Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(5)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 10, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 14, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS July 20, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS July 31, 2024)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2023
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Wem Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?